1811. 
FORTUNATE ESCAPE. — WANDERING COLONIST. 
273 
me that of an eye. Observing Speelman busy with the lock of 
the great rifle-gun, I found that he had put the hair-trigger out 
of order. As soon as I had rectified and fixed it on again, not 
supposing the piece loaded, I snapped the cock, on which it went 
off, although there was no priming in the pan. The ball, by a pro- 
vidential guidance, passed between the people, who were sitting 
around in all directions, without doing any injury ; but the flash 
from the pan scorched my eye, and rendered me blind for the re- 
mainder of the day. The pain and inflammation were at length 
alleviated by continued bathing with warm water ; but it was not. 
ascertained till the next day, that my sight was un injur ed, a disco- 
very which, I need hardly say, rejoiced me as much as any event 
of my journey. 
26th. This morning, as soon as the painful operation of picking 
the grains of powder out of my face had been submitted to, we 
departed from this rivulet, which, though none of us knew the name 
of it, would be sufficiently impressed on our memory by the fortun- 
ate escape we had all had. 
Our intention was to have reached Kleine Quagga Fontein this 
evening; but half-way, unexpectedly finding a family of colonists, 
who had taken up this wandering life for the sake of pasture for tlieir 
flocks and herds, they earnestly persuaded us to tarry till the next 
day. The spot, though arid, was agreeable : some scattered bushes 
of considerable size, and low hills on either side, gave it a sheltered 
and comfortable appearance. * Their abode was merely their two 
waggons, and a hemispherical hut, made of mats, after the Hottentot 
manner. They received us with much good will, and were proud of 
entertaining us in the hut with their best fare ; among which was some 
of the finest wheaten bread, a treat quite unlooked for in this part of 
the colony. P^alling in, at this place, with civilized beings, after we 
had bid adieu to all society of the kind, was to me a very pleasing 
* I here met with a remarkable species of Aiiond-hloern [Hesper anther a). This 
genus is very widely dispersed, and occasionally to be found ail over the colony, and even 
beyond it. 
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